Cointelegraph CEO Steps Down to Join AI Blockchain Venture

Cointelegraph CEO Transitions to the AI Industry

The chief executive officer of Cointelegraph is moving into the artificial intelligence sector. Yana Prikhodchenko has officially left her operational leadership role at the crypto media outlet after nearly five years. She is taking on a new role as co-founder and CEO of Phase, an AI-agent blockchain venture.

Phase enters the market with a strong financial backing. The project has secured a $45 million funding commitment from its founder, Kirill Eves. In an interview with BeInCrypto, Prikhodchenko confirmed that while she is stepping away from daily management, she retains her equity stake in Cointelegraph.

I remain a shareholder, but I have left all operational and management roles.

Prikhodchenko previously worked as an executive in the banking and insurance sectors before entering crypto journalism. During her tenure at Cointelegraph, she led efforts to expand the company beyond news reporting into areas like market research, corporate marketing, and industry events. At its peak under her management, the company's workforce grew to more than 200 employees.

Looking for the Next Big Challenge

Prikhodchenko explained that her departure was a personal career choice after years of growing the publication. She noted that her long-standing interest in artificial intelligence played a key role in her decision to pivot.

After nearly five years at one company, building its day-to-day operations and its team, launching new services and products together, there comes a point when you want the next big challenge.

Her exit coincides with a demanding climate across the digital media ecosystem. Crypto news outlets, in particular, have faced shifting market dynamics and shrinking web traffic over recent months.

Widespread Industry Pressures and Traffic Shifts

Several media organizations have made major operational changes recently. Blockworks closed its traditional newsroom in October 2025 to shift its primary focus toward financial data products.

Similarly, DL News ceased operations in May 2026. That shutdown came despite the outlet reporting a 270% revenue growth inside its research division.

Data from the Reuters Institute highlights a broader industry trend. Global Google search referrals to news publishers dropped by 33% between November 2024 and November 2025, reducing overall reader traffic for digital newsrooms.

Challenges and Strategic Changes at Cointelegraph

Cointelegraph has also made changes to its internal content strategy. Archived website pages show that the platform operated gambling-related sections during 2025. However, an updated editorial policy introduced in April 2026 officially prohibited gambling coverage.

Industry reports have discussed potential drops in search visibility connected to Google's ongoing automated spam enforcement. However, no public penalties against Cointelegraph have been officially confirmed by Google.

When asked about reported staff reductions at the outlet, Prikhodchenko declined to discuss specific headcount figures and directed inquiries to the current management team. She pushed back against the idea that market headwinds pushed her out of the company.

Hard times were never the reason to leave. Especially when the market is moving in cycles, it goes up and down.

Examining the Connections Between Cointelegraph and Phase

There are notable business overlaps between Prikhodchenko's former and new endeavors. Phase founder Kirill Eves is also the founder of Unlimit, a business that previously co-hosted Cointelegraph's LONGITUDE events.

Additionally, Cointelegraph published an article covering Phase's initial launch on October 29, prior to Prikhodchenko taking the leadership role there. She clarified that she had no part in directing that news story, asserting that Cointelegraph maintains strict editorial independence.

No. Cointelegraph's coverage is fully independent. Phase was covered like any other project.

Prikhodchenko holds equity stakes in both Cointelegraph and Phase. However, no direct corporate parentage or ownership connection between the two distinct companies has been established.